VOOM Roll Call

[Clarea]

Basic question for you experts, is O3b the alleged fastest provider?

O3b is the fastest provider that RC uses.

[FSUNole]

Not currently. They are only offering Surf & Stream pre-cruise, but at the discount they are offering, it's a better price than waiting until you are onboard and getting Surf only.

 

Do you recommend jumping on the $21.99 for 2 devices?

[Clarea]

Do you recommend jumping on the $21.99 for 2 devices?

Check the prices, it's been reported that two 1-device packages are going for less than a 2-device package.

[FSUNole]

Check the prices, it's been reported that two 1-device packages are going for less than a 2-device package.

 

Just checked and it is $11.99 for 1 device... $21.99 for 2

[Clarea]

When I looked last night, the 1 device package was $12.99... 2 devices $21.99... I'll check again, however.

Could be the promo is different now, because I thought some were quoting $8.99 for the 1-device package.

[Clarea]

Just checked and it is $11.99 for 1 device... $21.99 for 2

Makes sense to go with the 2-device package then.

 

Keep checking the Cruise Planner, because if the price changes, you can cancel and rebook.

[FSUNole]

Could be the promo is different now, because I thought some were quoting $8.99 for the 1-device package.

 

Yeah, saw that, too... its actually $11.99 for one. Generally speaking, is the $21,99 for 2 a decent deal?

[Biker19]

Generally speaking, is the $21,99 for 2 a decent deal?

 

It's about 30% off on-board prices.

[APDMOM]

Could be the promo is different now, because I thought some were quoting $8.99 for the 1-device package.

 

 

Correct. During the 72-hour sale this past weekend, we paid $8.99 for the one device "surf and stream" on Oasis, June 2017.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[lauraapp]

Is it still on sale? Can't find it!

[Clarea]

Is it still on sale? Can't find it!

Varies by ship/sailing. May be on sale for some and not others. May also go on/off sale on your cruise. Check your Cruise Planner.

[Doug & Linda]

Onboard Majesty right now. This is using the "free" Surf Day Pass.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the info. Seems pretty slow for O3b.

[Biker19]

Seems pretty slow for O3b.

 

Surf is likely limited to .5 Mpbs so it's not that far below that. Given the 240 ms ping, this snap shot might have been at some busy time.

[mo&fran]

On a recent B2b on Freedom, I bought the precruise deal for12.99 surf+stream for the 8 day cruise, but nothing for the 6 day cruise. I decidedto wait and see what kind to D+ deal was available.

Over $100 for the 8 day cruise, $50 for the 6 day cruisewith my discount.

However , with download speeds of between 3 and 5 mbps onthe ship, i had many programs that thathad issues with the pages.

As a science experiment, and since I was cruising during the super bowl, I use the foxsports website to stream thegame. I had to use my isp userid and password to get into the website, and it was a pain getting it working, and frequently froze. Also, the livestream when it was working was at least 2 downs delayed compared to the game on the stateroom TV. (example , computer is showing the snap for 3rd down, tv was alreadyshowing the punt)

My isp (xfinity)allows me to stream certain channels that I see on my home TV (some channelscan only be seen on my home wifi network) , but I did not have any better luck with this than the game.

I also did a speedtest with my iphone hotspot and gotten similar results to those on Freedom.

[Biker19]

. Also, the livestream when it was working was at least 2 downs delayed compared to the game on the stateroom TV. (example , computer is showing the snap for 3rd down, tv was alreadyshowing the punt)

 

 

Just so others are not confused by this, you would have gotten the same delay at home, it had nothing to do with being on VOOM. Around 2009, during the transition to digital TV, you would have a similar phenomenon where the digital version of the same show was delayed compared to the analog version. Digitizing, or in the case of foxsports, streaming, introduces delays due to the processing of the signal.

[Grumpydev]

I'm off on the Indy in August and was quite excited to see the fast results in earlier in the thread, but the more recent results showing the same old crappy speeds are making me wonder whether to bother - has anyone else been on recently, or are planning to go on, the Indy who can test it out?

[kemck1974]

Thanks for the feedback, Bob. I will report back every day. [emoji846]

 

BTW - we are on the western Caribbean itinerary, and so far have not experienced a single drop in wifi. Definitely worth the $63.63 we paid to keep in touch with family. We have 4 devices, using each alternately on the 1 device plan.

 

 

So with a family of 4 only wanting to be able to text each other on board can we get away with buying a 1 device plan?? I thought we'd have to get a 4 device plan (1 device per person). Thanks.

[Clarea]

So with a family of 4 only wanting to be able to text each other on board can we get away with buying a 1 device plan?? I thought we'd have to get a 4 device plan (1 device per person). Thanks.

 

 

You can get by with a one-device plan, but it will be inconvenient. How will you coordinate the schedule of which of the devices can log in and check texts? What happens when one of the devices forgets to log off and no one else can get on?

[kemck1974]

You can get by with a one-device plan, but it will be inconvenient. How will you coordinate the schedule of which of the devices can log in and check texts? What happens when one of the devices forgets to log off and no one else can get on?

 

 

OK, so the user needs to log on/off each time...I didn't realize that. This is my first cruise in 17 years...I don't think the internet existed then lol!

So a 4 device plan would probably be the best fit for us. That way we can log on and not worry about logging off yes?

 

Thanks so much for your quick response!

[Clarea]

OK, so the user needs to log on/off each time...I didn't realize that. This is my first cruise in 17 years...I don't think the internet existed then lol!

So a 4 device plan would probably be the best fit for us. That way we can log on and not worry about logging off yes?

 

Thanks so much for your quick response!

 

 

Correct.

[miyanc]

OK, so the user needs to log on/off each time...I didn't realize that. This is my first cruise in 17 years...I don't think the internet existed then lol!

So a 4 device plan would probably be the best fit for us. That way we can log on and not worry about logging off yes?

 

Thanks so much for your quick response!

 

 

not sure about the total cost or ur cell plan, but considering it may 40-50 per day for 4 devices or 15-50 cents a text. We are on Verizon and I think the texts are .25 or less. This of course does not include being able to use the voom service for surf and stream. Another thing we do is a dry erase board and using the in room phone. With magnets or command strips you can even hang the board on your door.

 

We are electing for 1 device but as we are not taking the kids, we will want to do video chats. And as it's only a few cents per text, if we need to we will text, but use the board and room phone if needed.

[kemck1974]

We have unlimited texting on Verizon...but I have to check on international options I guess. Not sure how that works. I'd like to be able to text the kids rather than rely on them to remember what time/place to meet us. Although my son doesn't have a cell phone yet (another issue) he has an iPod but that needs wifi for texting.

 

 

We're not sailing til November, so I have time to think about this and to research.

[londongal796]

We have unlimited texting on Verizon...but I have to check on international options I guess. Not sure how that works. I'd like to be able to text the kids rather than rely on them to remember what time/place to meet us. Although my son doesn't have a cell phone yet (another issue) he has an iPod but that needs wifi for texting.

 

We're not sailing til November, so I have time to think about this and to research.

 

PLEASE check your international options AND the 'cruise ship' options with Verizon. As a former employee, I know that their roaming prices were outrageous. 'Unlimited texting' does NOT apply to international texting / texting while roaming!!

[miyanc]

We have had Verizon on many of our cruises and I think at most it's been .25 a text. .50 if you are texting someone on the ship(.25 each way) Just make sure u shut data off and don't answer incoming calls unless you want to pay for it.

Remember until the age of cell phones all we had was a home phone and people managed just fine. I know those were scary times.